Subject in CA & N Board

[XFool]

I see a thread "Declining standard of living?" in Current Affairs & News has been closed, as we are not allowed to mention the 2008 financial cash. While I understand the irrelevance of discussing the financial mechanics of 2008; the topic itself?

That's what I call stupid.

viewtopic.php?p=549186#p549186

The fact the thread is now closed makes, IMO, a kind of sense if we are not allowed to properly discuss the topic...

[Dod101]

Frankly it is about time that some of the strongly opinionated views on C A & N were pruned. Too many barrack room lawyers and wood be experts around on that Board which I am sure puts others off.

Dod

[mc2fool]

I see a thread "Declining standard of living?" in Current Affairs & News has been closed, as we are not allowed to mention the 2008 financial cash. While I understand the irrelevance of discussing the financial mechanics of 2008; the topic itself?

That's what I call stupid.

viewtopic.php?p=549186#p549186

The fact the thread is now closed makes, IMO, a kind of sense if we are not allowed to properly discuss the topic...

The topic was actually about the definition and measurement of the standard of living, and the OP's distrust of the OBR's forecasts and methodology, and belief that increases in house prices should (somehow) be included in the definition and measurement of the standard of living.

Your introduction and the ensuring posts of the 2008 crash was most definitely OT, I wish they'd been reported earlier ('twasn't me), and it's annoying that your (and others) continuing attempts to discuss it (and dragging in your favourite topic, Brexit, too!) after the mod's polite cease-and-desist request resulted in the thread being locked, thereby stopping any further discussion on the actual OP topic. A classic case of the rowdy few ruining it for everybody.

As, unless and until there are any responses to my last post there, I have no more to add on the topic, I will leave it to the OP (or anyone else that wants to stick to the OP topic) to request the thread be unlocked, should they want to add any further on topic discussion.

If you want to discuss the 2008 crash you can start a thread about it.

[XFool]

I see a thread "Declining standard of living?" in Current Affairs & News has been closed, as we are not allowed to mention the 2008 financial cash. While I understand the irrelevance of discussing the financial mechanics of 2008; the topic itself?

The topic was actually about the definition and measurement of the standard of living, and the OP's distrust of the OBR's forecasts and methodology, and belief that increases in house prices should (somehow) be included in the definition and measurement of the standard of living.

So perhaps the thread should have had a more narrowly defined and specific title? As it is many people, certainly me, would reasonably take it to be about what it says: "Declining standard of living?"

Might I suggest: Defining standard of living or Definitions of standard of living?

If you want to discuss the 2008 crash you can start a thread about it.

I don't. I was (mainly) discussing Declining standard of living?

A topic apparently off topic in its own named TLF thread...

[mc2fool]

I see a thread "Declining standard of living?" in Current Affairs & News has been closed, as we are not allowed to mention the 2008 financial cash. While I understand the irrelevance of discussing the financial mechanics of 2008; the topic itself?

The topic was actually about the definition and measurement of the standard of living, and the OP's distrust of the OBR's forecasts and methodology, and belief that increases in house prices should (somehow) be included in the definition and measurement of the standard of living.

So perhaps the thread should have had a more narrowly defined and specific title? As it is many people, certainly me, would reasonably take it to be about what it says: "Declining standard of living?"

Only those people that went solely by the 4 word title and didn't read the 800 word topic post.

[XFool]

So perhaps the thread should have had a more narrowly defined and specific title? As it is many people, certainly me, would reasonably take it to be about what it says: "Declining standard of living?"

Only those people that went solely by the 4 word title and didn't read the 800 word topic post.

My take was originally based on these two lines in the OP:

It seems to me that such a prediction is so much based on pure guesswork and conjecture as to be completely meaningless.

The OBR haven't the faintest idea of what prices and wages are going to do over a period of six months, let alone two years.

Perhaps, to avoid the ever-present danger of 'Thread Topic Privatisation' on TLF, we need to start every thread with a Poll to discover what the thread topic is actually about, before the thread is started?

Then again, as well as appointed moderators do we need (self) appointed (or elected!) Thread Designators who 'own' and define a thread's topic?
Presumably this should, sensibly enough, be the OP.

Indeed, could this actually be a sensible suggestion?

This is, that first dibs at thread moderation, wrt Topic, should go to the OP rather than moderators - who should, in the first instance, stick to moderation? (Obviously that would include topic related matters if the OP's requests on thread were being ignored)

[mc2fool]

So perhaps the thread should have had a more narrowly defined and specific title? As it is many people, certainly me, would reasonably take it to be about what it says: "Declining standard of living?"

Only those people that went solely by the 4 word title and didn't read the 800 word topic post.

My take was originally based on these two lines in the OP:

It seems to me that such a prediction is so much based on pure guesswork and conjecture as to be completely meaningless.

The OBR haven't the faintest idea of what prices and wages are going to do over a period of six months, let alone two years.

Right, as I said the "measurement of the standard of living, and the OP's distrust of the OBR's forecasts and methodology", and as the mod decided (and I agree) nothing to do with the 2008 crash.

[dealtn]

So perhaps the thread should have had a more narrowly defined and specific title? As it is many people, certainly me, would reasonably take it to be about what it says: "Declining standard of living?"

Only those people that went solely by the 4 word title and didn't read the 800 word topic post.

My take was originally based on these two lines in the OP:

It seems to me that such a prediction is so much based on pure guesswork and conjecture as to be completely meaningless.

The OBR haven't the faintest idea of what prices and wages are going to do over a period of six months, let alone two years.

Right, as I said the "measurement of the standard of living, and the OP's distrust of the OBR's forecasts and methodology", and as the mod decided (and I agree) nothing to do with the 2008 crash.

I contributed, and was also deleted.

I have sympathy for thread drift. I have much greater sympathy for (free) moderators.

The polite request was for stopping unrelated and off-topic discussion. As someone else (can't recall) pointed out if the causes of the decline in living standards are (partially) rooted elsewhere, such as the financial crash or Brexit even, then they are not necessarily off-topic.

That said, despite thread drifts inevitability, more nuanced discussion (particularly Brexit!) can be taken elsewhere.

[XFool]

I contributed, and was also deleted.

I have sympathy for thread drift. I have much greater sympathy for (free) moderators.

The polite request was for stopping unrelated and off-topic discussion. As someone else (can't recall) pointed out if the causes of the decline in living standards are (partially) rooted elsewhere, such as the financial crash or Brexit even, then they are not necessarily off-topic.

That said, despite thread drifts inevitability, more nuanced discussion (particularly Brexit!) can be taken elsewhere.

There was no discussion of Brexit.
(In referring to the 2008 crash - which is very relevant to living standards today - in an aside I briefly mentioned "Brexit" as one example, IMO, of a consequence of 2008.)

BTW. As another aside...

How ironic to notice that, in its very first paragraph, that OBF report mentions...

the 2008 financial crisis.

https://obr.uk/overview-of-the-november-2022-economic-and-fiscal-outlook/

"Rising energy, food, and other goods prices have pushed up the interest rates set by inflation-targeting central banks to levels not seen since the 2008 financial crisis."

Perhaps the OBR too should be ruled "Off topic" ?

[mc2fool]

I have sympathy for thread drift. I have much greater sympathy for (free) moderators.

Agree to a point with the former and very much with the latter ... and, of course, complaints about moderation generate more work for them/admin.

The polite request was for stopping unrelated and off-topic discussion. As someone else (can't recall) pointed out if the causes of the decline in living standards are (partially) rooted elsewhere, such as the financial crash or Brexit even, then they are not necessarily off-topic.

Well the claim of the OP was that, rather than being in decline, living standards are and will be going up, hence the "?" on the end of the topic title. But in any case, the polite request was "No more off-topic discussion of bank bailouts and the 2008 crash, please." viewtopic.php?p=549102#p549102

[XFool]

... and, of course, complaints about moderation generate more work for them/admin.

That's where my "sensible suggestion" could come into its own.

[AsleepInYorkshire]

I see a thread "Declining standard of living?" in Current Affairs & News has been closed, as we are not allowed to mention the 2008 financial cash. While I understand the irrelevance of discussing the financial mechanics of 2008; the topic itself?

That's what I call stupid.

viewtopic.php?p=549186#p549186

The fact the thread is now closed makes, IMO, a kind of sense if we are not allowed to properly discuss the topic...

Hi XFool,

I'd like, if you agree it's appropriate, to make an observation please. Do you feel it's worth considering that the thread has been locked and perhaps we would all benefit if you or another Fool opened up another, which would allow the discussion of this subject across a far broader spectrum and encompass the 2008 market crash. If I may offer my somewhat humble opinion, in the hope it helps, we could be discussing the subject in the time that "we" are here discussing a locked thread.

Now before you chew my skinny little butt off, perhaps you'd allow me to make a final comment please. On the 1st of December 2022 I will go with my two girls to put flowers on my Mum & Dad's grave. Mum died one year ago on this date. She was 80. If I apply some [extremely flawed] math's and assume I have a similar life expectancy, then I have just over 19 years left.

In the little time I have left I'd like to think I can be somewhat more efficient with its use. And like a reformed ex-smoker I am loitering with intent. All of it good, I hope

Life's too short

AiY(D)

[XFool]

Hi XFool,

In the little time I have left I'd like to think I can be somewhat more efficient with its use. And like a reformed ex-smoker I am loitering with intent. All of it good, I hope

Life's too short

Thanks for your gentle suggestion, AIY.

I think there is more than one way of wasting one's time - or indeed of having it wasted. (e.g. Spending time writing and editing posts and then seeing them vanish without trace comes to mind here...) And, in the interests of general efficiency, I have made a suggestion ("A sensible suggestion") in the Improve the Site board - I would like to think you might even approve.

Interestingly, the idea came out of the discussion on this very thread. So, not every digression is a waste of time.

Anyway, may you live (healthily) for at least another 19 years!

XFool

[Clariman]

Xfool
On the CAN topic in question you had veered off topic which prompted others to engage with you, risking it going further off the rails. A moderator politely asked users to stop the OT discussion and made it clear that any future OT posts would be deleted.

You continued to post the OT material and your posts were subsequently deleted - as you should have known. You now complain about having had your time wasted by creating posts which get deleted. In that case you should pay more attention to moderator requests and warnings and you will waste less of your own and everybody else's time.

But you know all this already.

I don't think this merits any further public discussion so I will lock this thread. However if you do wish to discuss it further please PM me.

Clariman